[Official Report] Kentaro Sakaguchi appointed as ”Korea Tourism Honorary Public Relations Ambassador” at the ”KOREA Connected Expo” held in Osaka and Kansai -Korea Collection-” and talks about his memories in Korea

The Korea Tourism Organization will hold a National Day-related event, "KOREA
On May 13th (Tuesday), which is National Day, actor Kentaro Sakaguchi, who is popular in Japan, Korea, and other parts of Asia, will be the honorary ambassador for Korea Tourism.
The event "Korea Collection" will be held, where you can experience the charm of all K-culture such as the appointment ceremony, Korean music, beauty, and fashion. The performers will talk about the new charm of Korean tourism.
Actor Kentaro Sakaguchi, who was appointed as the honorary ambassador for tourism in Korea, appeared on stage as a special guest for the Korean collection. His shiny blonde hair drew loud cheers from the audience.
The audience applauded and cheered. Next, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-cheon of the Republic of Korea came on stage and welcomed Sakaguchi with a hug. He was awarded the title of "Korea Tourism Honorary Public Relations Ambassador".
When Minister Yoo handed it to Sakaguchi, Sakaguchi received it with both hands. Minister Yoo began by saying, "My name is Yoo In-chon. Nice to meet you. I love Kentaro Sakaguchi!" in Japanese.
He continued, "I am truly grateful that Kentaro Sakaguchi has accepted the position of honorary Korean tourism ambassador. I hope that Kentaro Sakaguchi will help young people in both countries work together to move towards the future."
I would like him to fulfill various roles so that we can move forward together in this direction," he said, expressing his expectations for Sakaguchi and his thoughts about the future of Japan-Korea relations.
In response to Minister Yoo's comments, Sakaguchi said, "I am very grateful to have been appointed as the honorary ambassador for Korea Tourism.
I am very honored. When I was first approached about the role, I wondered if I could do it, but after filming a TV series in Korea and doing various other activities, I realized that there was something I could do.
I felt like there was still more to come. I was reminded how honored I am to be entrusted with the role of bridge between the differences in communication and culture.
"I would like to do my best to help the people of Japan and Korea learn more about each other's countries," he said, reaffirming his determination as an ambassador.
In the talk session that followed the appointment ceremony, Minister Yoo and Sakaguchi took to the stage and discussed the attractions of Korea's tourist destinations. When asked about tourist destinations he would recommend to visitors, Minister Yoo said,
I would like to recommend Gyeongju to you. It is a very old city, like Kyoto in Japan. The APEC summit is scheduled to be held in Gyeongju in November.
"You can experience the Silla culture that was once a part of Korea. By visiting an ancient capital like this, you can experience a different atmosphere from that of a crowded big city," he said.
Sakaguchi said, "I've never been there before, so I'm interested. I also love history. I often shoot in urban areas, but I'd like to visit the ancient capitals of Korea.
"I was really impressed," he said, raising expectations for Gyeongju, a city that is full of history and culture.
The new visual, which was projected on the screen, exuded a refreshing yet nostalgic atmosphere. A particularly loud applause erupted from the audience.
Sakaguchi said, "The poster was shot about three weeks ago. (I had black hair at the time of the shoot.) I had some free time, so I dyed my hair blonde in Korea to try a different look. I'm actually blonde.
I hadn't planned on having it that way, but I suddenly said, 'I might as well dye it blonde,' and this is what happened," she said, blushing as she recounted the incident.
Next up was a talk show by Sakaguchi. In line with the theme of this event, "#ConnectingKorea," Sakaguchi talked about his "connection with Korea."
In the Korean gourmet Hot Topic, he wrote, "I love kalguksu! I ate it a lot. I had kalguksu or gomtang in the morning, and usually went to a yakiniku restaurant in the evening... I did that every day."
"I'll give it back," he said, revealing his "regular eating habits" during his stay in Korea, surprising the audience. When asked about his memories of Korea, he said with a smile, "I ate Han River Ramen!"
When I eat ramen there, I feel like it tastes different! I'm sure it tastes the same, but it tastes better. The weather was nice, so it was fun," he said, recalling his memories.
He has been active not only as an actor, but also in the modeling and variety show fields, appearing in the Korean TV series "What Comes After Love" and appearing on the covers of UNIQLO KOREA and GQ KOREA.
Sakaguchi is also expanding his activities in Korea. On May 4th, his second fan meeting in Korea was held. In the second half of the talk show, Sakaguchi answered questions sent in in advance by the audience.
A Q&A session was held where Mouth answered questions. In response to the first question, "Is there anything you always buy in Korea?", she replied, "Lip balm, face masks, etc.
"I also buy vitamins!" she replied. "During filming, the director asked me, 'Are you taking vitamins?' and when I answered, 'No,' he said, 'You absolutely have to take them!'
"I've been buying it ever since," he said, sharing an anecdote about the high level of awareness in K-Beauty. He continued, "I think Kentaro Sakaguchi's Korean language skills are amazing, but how did he manage to learn them?
When asked, "Do you remember all of that?" he replied, "Not at all!" in a slightly surprised tone. "When I started filming, I thought, 'I want to talk to everyone!' so I asked the interpreter every day.
However, I can't read Hangul at all, so I listen to it and memorize it," he said, revealing his attitude towards learning. He also quoted an impressive episode, saying, "A Korean fan said to his fan,
I was very happy when she told me that she was studying Japanese because of her experience in Japan. She was aiming to become an interpreter and said, "I'd like to work with you someday."
"It's wonderful," he said, brimming with emotion. To conclude the talk, Sakaguchi, who has become an honorary Korean tourism ambassador, delivered a message to the audience.
I often go there and it's one of my favorite countries, so I hope everyone will go there too!" he said, drawing a big round of applause from the audience.
The venue was filled with warmth and enthusiasm, and the closing was filled with smiles and applause. In addition to Sakaguchi's appearance on stage, a variety of content that colored Korean culture was also displayed at the venue.
On the "K-LIVE Stage," K.will, a popular Korean artist, appeared and sang a heartfelt ballad. His impressive singing voice filled the venue with emotion and cheers.
At the "K-Beauty Stage," makeup artists who are hugely popular in Korea will take to the stage to introduce daily makeup techniques incorporating the latest trends.
They were drawn into the stage and stared intently at the stage. In addition, a gorgeous fashion show of traditional Korean clothing, Hanbok, was held at the "K-Fashion Stage." Beautiful costumes and models
Their graceful walk drew a huge round of applause from the audience. Enjoy Korean culture with all five senses through a stage that combines the charms of music, beauty, and fashion.
It was a luxurious time. Korea Travel Festa Venue: South side of EXPO Messe "WASSE"
Date and time: May 13th (Tue) - 16th (Fri), 2025 10:00-18:00 Admission: Free
*To participate in this event and enter the Osaka-Kansai Expo, you will need to purchase a ticket to enter the Expo site.
*Event contents may change without teaser. Korean TV Series Exhibition (K-Drama Gallery) Venue: Gallery WEST inside the Expo site
Date and time: May 13th (Tue) to 16th (Fri), 2025 10:00-18:00 Admission: Free Exhibit contents: "King the Land" "Reborn"
"Pleased to meet you", "Deserted Island Diva", "Welcome to Samdalri", "Miss Night & Miss Day", "Strong Woman Kang Nam Soon"
*To participate in this event and enter the Osaka-Kansai Expo, you will need to purchase a ticket to enter the Expo site.
*Event content may change without a teaser. For the latest information on the Korea Tourism Festival and the Korea TV Series Exhibition, please visit the KOREA
Please check the official website of "Korea Connected" at https://korea-connected.com/
Korea Tourism Organization Overview ■Name Korea Tourism Organization ■Location Head Office: 10 Segyero, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do (Korea) Osaka Branch: 2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Twin 21 MID Tower 23F HP https://knto.or.kr/jpn/index